COVID-19 has varied impact on different schools in the region

With the increase of cases of COVID-19 around the state and in Hill, Chouteau, Blaine and Liberty counties, cases are being found in the schools as well, which is causing some to shift their plans.

Havre

Havre Public Schools last week to have school go to remote learning to next Wednesday, Oct. 28 and for extracurricular activities to continue with additional precautions.

Monday night, the school board voted to cancel the next football game due to 33 football players being quarantined.

Interim Superintendent Craig Mueller said, given that the incubation period can be as long as 14 days, keeping students and staff remote for a minimum of two weeks will help find who is going to develop symptoms and who will need testing.

This can also allow for any quarantines that are going to finish, he added.

Instruction will be delivered through packets or remotely from classroom teachers, he said.

He said teacher learning plans will be posted and/or will be available for pick up at the school building each week, adding that communication with school personnel is essential.

"Students and parents will need to take virtual attendance through Infinite Campus each day of remote learning," Mueller said.

Havre schools has been running with splitting the students into two groups, one group attending classes Monday and Wednesday and the other group Tuesday and Thursday, with a remote-learning only day Friday.

St. Jude Thaddeus School

St. Jude Thaddeus School Principal Mike Haugen said everything is so far, so good. 

No confirmed cases from the school, he said.

St. Jude Thaddeus School is in phase two of its returning back to school plan at full capacity with social distancing being maintained in all classrooms and extended care.

"We are currently evaluating our opening plan to make sure we are meeting the needs of our educational community," he said.

Face masks and shields are required for all students at all times in response to the increased cases in the area.

"However, that could change five minutes from now," he said. "We are staying focused, diligent with our plan and ready for anything."

For lunch in the Parish Center, he said, three lunch periods were created with students assigned to the tables, four per table along with plexiglass being placed between the students.

Classes are dismissed one at a time, he said, adding that, the students will enter and exit the building at different doors based on the letter of their last name.

The students and teachers have been outstanding, Haugen said.

Chinook

Chinook Superintendent Darin Hannum said everything is going well.

Chinook Public Schools decided to return in full capacity this school year.

The district announced that Sept. 22 it was notified of a school-related case of COVID-19 in a student from the elementary school.

As of Monday, no confirmed cases have been identified that have affected operations, he said.

"Although we had a case, the student  was not in school during that time frame," he said. "Our time is coming for more drastic measures."

Temperatures of students, staff and parents will be taken a minimum of once a day after entering the building, the plan says. If a student has a temperature of 100.4 or more, they will be isolated and sent home.

Classrooms are going to be cleaned between classes and the bathrooms will be cleaned frequently throughout the day, he said.

Athletically, he said, they have clamped down and limited more attendance, adding that is causing some issues, but people have been great.

Harlem

Harlem Superintendent Doreen Warren said lots of things are going on right now.  

As of Friday, she said, 10 hybrid students, three remote students and two staff members have tested positive so far. 

Students returned to in-person learning Monday, she said, adding that the Fort Belknap Indian Community extended their closure until Friday, Oct. 30.

She said that last Friday, community members held a Homecoming Parade. 

"This event was not school district affiliated nor endorsed," Warren said.

Chester-Joplin-Inverness

"Knock on wood, we have been spared of any coronavirus cases in the CJI Schools, to this point," Chester-Joplin-Inverness Superintendent Tim Bronk said.

They have made it through the football and volleyball regular season without anyone confirmed with the disease, he said. 

Volleyball tournaments are coming up and junior high basketball began last week, he said, adding that they are still following all their COVID-19 protocols and keeping their fingers crossed. 

"We continue to wear masks during the school day in the hallways, lunchroom, and when it's too crowded or good social distancing is not practical," Bronk said.

Turner

Turner Superintendent Tony Warren said things continue to go very well at the district.

  No cases have been confirmed through the first two months of school, he said.

"I am hopeful that our district will continue providing in person educational services as long as we can safely continue to do so," he said.

  Turner Public School has worked as a staff to find appropriate times to provide breaks from mask wearing for students throughout the day, he added.  "When we are able to spread out more than six feet in classes, students are able to remove their masks," Warren said. "Also, when students are eating meals and participating in PE/recess they are able to remove their masks."

Staff and students have been mostly cooperative in wearing masks when required, he said.  

North Star

"So far we continue to be lucky and not have any cases confirmed here," North Star Superintendent Bart Hawkins said. "We hope that continues." 

  School continues in person, he said.

"We continue to monitor cases around the state and region," Hawkins said. 

North Star Schools re-opened with all students coming back at 100 percent capacity.

Temperature checks are taken when students, staff and parents upon entering the building. Students who ride the bus will get their temperature checked prior to getting on.

If a student has a temperature of 100.4 or more, they will not be allowed on the bus, and students who walk and are found with a temperature of 100.4 or more will be isolated and sent home.